Kristianstad

Municipality 
 

The Swedish project AULA ZERO
 
 

General objective:

To seek integration possibilities through similar studies in the three countries involved
To find theoretical and practical ways of optimal integration
To draw conclusions from the interview survey as to similarities and differences between the ethnic groups in our communities
 

Comparison between people from Somalia, Kosovo, Arab-speaking countries and Sweden

The following questions were asked:
Educational and social background, background in Sweden, religion and visions for the future
 

       Similarities:                            Differences:

          importance of the family                               women´s role
          a good future for the children                         want of social contacts
          work and education                                          importance of religion

                           Conclusion: Similarities prevail over differences.
 

Actions planned and carried through:

Separate group meetings were held
Groups with common interests were formed – sports, culture, swimming lessons, how to start a club in Sweden
Teachers of immigrant children went to Rinkeby, Stockholm, for methodological studies of second language learning
Methodological experts visited Kristianstad and discussed methodology with staff,  teachers and students as well as democracy in the
Swedish curriculi. Also religion was an issue
A school for everyone – focuses on our democratic view. Teachers of both Swedish as a Second Language and of the different mother
tongues contually discuss methodology.
CD-presentation of our home language teachers has been completed.
IT-training of home language  teachers continues
The Language Garden is a joint project between Child Care, the local Board of Education, and the Fröknegården Activity Centre YMCA.
The Language Garden is open every summer for the training of immigrant children´s linguistic proficiency and social performance. 

Interviews
Interviews EU-Comenius2
Literature
(Download Acrobat reader here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html)

Pedagogical methods

Symbolic pedagogics uses pictures, music, painting as a means for immigrant children to handle their experiences and to get in touch with
their innermost feelings. Parents were also activated during these sessions.
The Portfolio model is now being used throughout the whole school and enables student and teacher  to follow the development of each
individual from the first schoolday to the last.
To this end video recordings are made, digital camera is used as well as IT resources
A new teaching project.making use of some of  the home language teachers´ competence giving abt three lessons a week in mathematics
and English in the particular home languages. This project will continue for one or two years and is expected not only to favour the two
subjects taught but also to motivate the students to learn Swedish.
A handicraft project for Albanian women has been planned since before the outbreak of the war in Kosovo and is now going to start.
African filmdays took place in 1999 and in 2000 we had Antiracist Film Days during the week of the UN.
Back up groups for students who need extra support and language training. The teachers are specifically trained and speak several different
languages.

Absence – statistics
No big differences in the rates of absence were found between Swedish and immigrant pupils 
Common reasons for absence are fever, headache, nausea, stomach ache, etc.
The rate of absence is highest in the upper grades of secondary school. The tendency to       leave school for a couple of hours now and then is
most frequent in grades 6 – 9. The students have several different teachers and must move from one classroom to another which gives
opportunities to leave out.
The schools have special local plans to handle the problem of absence. In Kristianstad there are four special Day Schools with approx. 50 pupils
and abt. 97% of these are Swedish and boys.

Statistics of absence
 

Measures against truancy, school fatigue drug abuse etc are teaching groups led e.g. by secondary school teachers, social workers,
personal assistants, psychologists, remedial teachers give extra support and help after school hours.

Kerstin Paborn 
Headmaster
Anna-Britta Bromander
International Coordinator

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